


Seaworthy

by TheRedWulf



Series: Sanvos One Shots [4]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Adorable!Davos, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Baby shark, Best Friends, Billionare!Sansa, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Halloween, May/December Relationship, Meet-Cute, Modern Era, Older Man/Younger Woman, Online Dating, Online Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, WesterosSrDate, Wingman!Gendry, Wingman!Stannis, plot holes, sanvos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22536676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRedWulf/pseuds/TheRedWulf
Summary: AU - Modern - In which Sansa finds love by sneaking on to 'WesterosSrDate.com'...Picset is viewableHERE
Relationships: Davos Seaworth & Sansa Stark, Davos Seaworth/Sansa Stark
Series: Sanvos One Shots [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1500026
Comments: 35
Kudos: 117





	Seaworthy

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know where this came from, I just started writing and this came out. Hopefully it brings a smile to your face on this lovely, chilly, Groundhog Day!
> 
> I don't consider myself a writer. This is unbeta'd so I apologize for any errors. :D :P Thank you for reading!

Sansa nibbled on her thumb nail, locked in a staring contest with the laptop screen in front of her. It was a Friday night, she should be out with friends, out with a date, out _somewhere_. Instead she was home in her pajamas with a glass of wine, staring at the very intimidating welcome screen of ‘WesterosSrDate.com’. 

“Should I do it?” she asked her cat, Lemon, who only looked blankly back at her. “Right, thanks for the help” she reached out to pet Lemon’s chin before returning to her laptop. 

She had adopted Lemon from a local feline rescue group, unable to pass up the charm of the grey three-legged cat that she’d fallen in love with instantly. While she was labeled ‘special needs’, as she had lost one of her back legs to a car accident when she was just a kitten, Lemon never let that slow her down. She was just as active as any other cat, and just as spoiled. 

Sansa reached for the keyboard and typed her birthdate--well, almost her birthdate, just with a few extra years added on. It wasn’t like she was really breaking the law, right? It wasn’t like she would lie about anything else, appearance or hobbies, just...her age.

That wasn’t a big deal, was it?

What was age anyway, she reasoned to herself. She was 33, never married, hadn't dated in years and was falling more and more behind her siblings in the ‘family factor’. Robb had three kids, Arya had one and was talking about trying for another, they were both married and successful and every holiday her Mother kindly reminded her that _she_ only had her job. 

It was a good job, sure, but just a job. Sansa frowned, grabbing her wine glass to take a sip. Liquid courage, she took a deep breath. She looked to Lemon who had fallen asleep and she envied the feline. She couldn’t get her mind to settle, how was she going to sleep? 

Looking back to her screen she quickly pressed ‘enter’ and the next screen took her to several pages of forms that she had to fill out. As she clicked on the first field, Lemon looked up at her she look glared at the cat. 

“Stop judging me!” she chided. “You remember Joffrey and Petyr, and---ugh, Harry! Don’t judge me Lemon Cake, I am doing this for the greater good.” She returned to her work, filling out each field truthfully. 

Work; Real Estate. 

That was vague enough right? Sure.

Hobbies; cooking, reading, some photography, museums and various local events like festivals and farmer’s markets.

Seeking; Men

For; Lasting Relationship. 

She quickly worked her way through the forms and questionnaires, and when the time came, she chose a photo of Lemon for her profile picture. 

‘Meow’ the cat protested, climbing into her lap. 

“Look, I can’t put my picture, Lemon” she smoothed her hand over the cat’s back. “This is a senior’s site, 45 and up only.” 

‘Meow.'

“I know I am only 33, but you have to cut me some slack, the pool is highly contaminated” she sighed, grabbing her glass and taking the last long sip. “Here we go” she hit ‘complete’ and waited for the website to work its magic. She nuzzled Lemon briefly as she waited and when a chime sounded, she looked up in surprise. 

“One?” she chuckled, looking at the results. “That’s it? Tough crowd.” 

‘Meow.’

“Hush, I know it only takes one” she leaned forward and clicked on the man’s profile. “‘SeaWorthy’, huh” she scrolled through his profile, chuckling when his picture was only a sailboat on the open water and not of himself. “Great minds, eh, Lemon?” 

‘Meow.’

“Right” she scrolled. “Cooking, sailing, ooh, he’s a business owner, Lemon” the feline, however, did not seem impressed. “47, that’s young.” 

‘Meow.’

“Shh” she ruffled the cats fur and leaned over the trackpad to click ‘accept’. “We’ll see if he messages, if not then I am going to go adopt you four siblings.” 

‘Meorrw’ Lemon protested dramatically as if she understood the sentiment. 

“No, you like being an only child?” she laughed, closing her laptop to lay back and snuggle Lemon close. She would worry about 'WesterosSrDate' later, for now she was going to relax. She sighed and her eyes had just fluttered shut as her email chimed on her phone-- Or was she? 

She practically dove across the bed to her night table, almost knocking her wine glass to the floor as she grabbed her phone. She was near frantic as she unlocked the screen to open her emails.

“One new message, Lemon!” she smiled, opening the link to the website to see that ‘SeaWorthy’ had messaged her back. 

_“Hello, pardon me if this is terrible, for the most part the internet seems to escape me.”_ she read. 

“Aw, he’s charming, Lemon” she laughed, returning to the message. 

_“I have been a member for sometime now, and you’re my first--and only match. I was beginning to think there was something wrong with me, is this where I put an ‘LOL’?”_

“Ok, so, he’s adorable.” 

‘Meow.’

_“It says you like attending local festivals. Have you ever been to the art and wine festival at the Harbor? You might have seen my ships there, I build wooden boats you see, and we display them along the water.”_

“Good with his hands, Lemon!” the cat did not look amused. 

_“Wishing you a pleasant evening and perhaps I will talk to you soon.”_

“Aww” Sansa smiled. “He seems nice” she looked to Lemon who was already back to being fast asleep. “Oh, so sorry to disturb you on your busy night” she whispered and unlocked her phone to open the response tab. “Alright ‘SeaWorthy’, let’s give it a whirl.” 

“What is up with you?” Arya asked as Sansa picked up her phone the instant it chimed. 

“What?” Sansa looked up from her screen to see her sister watching her with narrowed eyes. 

“That is like the hundredth time you’ve gotten a message in the last half-hour” Arya reasoned, carefully helping her two year old son, Orys, to eat a bite of macaroni. Orys was already shaping up to be the image of his father, Gendry, which meant he was stronger than the average toddler, with dark hair and bright eyes. 

“It is not” Sansa argued, quickly replying and locking her phone. 

“It is” Arya laughed. “Is it a man?” 

“Who?” Sansa tried to play coy and her sister only gave her a knowing glare. They had been best friends just as long as they had been sisters, Arya knew her too well to let her get away with anything. “Fine! Yes, it's a man.” 

“Oooh! Is it serious?” Arya asked. 

“We’ve only just started talking, like, two weeks ago” Sansa explained. 

“Is this an online thing? Have you met?” 

“Yes online, but no, we haven’t met” Sansa frowned. 

“Why not?” 

“Well, he’s asked” Sansa paused. “But there’s sort of this thing…” 

“What thing?” Arya frowned now, too. 

“We met on WesterosSrDate” Sansa said quickly, forcing the words out.

“What!?” Arya yelled loud enough to startle Orys and the people around them. “Oh, sorry baby, its fine but Auntie Sansa just scared Mommy” she handed him more macaroni and the scare was forgotten; he was 100% Gendry. “You joined a _seniors_ dating site? Are you insane?” Arya hissed. 

“No I am not, thank you very much” Sansa replied. “Just….tired of users and immature assholes.” 

“How old is this new guy? Please Gods, don’t tell me he is sixty!”

“47, and he owns his own business” Sansa replied smugly. 

“That’s not too bad, Mom and Dad are 14 years apart” Arya reasoned, then started chuckling. 

“What?” 

“I never figured you as the type to search for a ‘sugar daddy’.”

“No!” Sansa shook her head. “It isn’t that type of site! And I said I was a real estate agent, I don’t need a sugar whatever.” 

“San, you’re worth more money than I will ever see in a lifetime, you don’t need one. I am just surprised that you would be willing to date an older man like that” Arya explained. 

“Petyr was older” Sansa replied. 

“By five years, yes.” 

“And 47 isn’t that much older, and he is really charming” Sansa smiled in spite of herself. 

“Gods, you’re smitten” Arya rolled her eyes. 

“Oh shut up, you were worse when you met Gendry” Sansa countered. 

“Fair” Arya shrugged. “So meet him.” 

“But I put in my profile that I was 45….” 

“San” Arya frowned. 

“I know, but that was all I lied about, I promise” Sansa reasoned. 

“I know that the last few relationships you’ve had, haven’t been great” Arya explained. 

“They used me for money” Sansa cut through the bullshit. “They used me for my name and my connections. I am done with that. Why can’t I meet a nice man who doesn’t care if I am on the Storm’s End Top 10 list? Why can’t I just be loved for me?” 

“You can, San, but you’re lying to him” Arya was never one to pull punches. “And you can’t start a relationship on a lie, you know that.” 

Sansa sighed, her shoulders sagging as she covered her face with her hands, “I know” she mumbled behind the curtain of her fingers. 

“So meet him, tell him everything” Arya encouraged. “And if he sticks around, then he is worth keeping around.” 

“And if he doesn’t?” 

“I can set you up with Gendry’s boss, I mean, since you’re into older men now” Arya smirked and Sansa rolled her eyes. 

“Oh, gee thanks” she laughed. She had heard about Gendry's boss a few times before, but had never met him. Though, from the way Gendry talked about him he was the second coming of The Seven. Sansa finished her coffee and checked her watch. “Oh, I have to run, client meeting in twenty” she began to gather her things. 

“Alright, thank you for lunch” Arya said, then paused. “And San? Tell him. No more lies. You’re better than that” Arya said and Sansa kissed her Sister’s cheek, and then her Nephew’s for good measure. 

“See you this weekend, love you!” Sansa pulled on her coat and darted out the front door, heading back towards her office. She slung her purse over her shoulder and buttoned her coat before pulling her phone from its pocket. 

Her sister was right, she knew it, she just didn’t want to admit it. But she had to come clean because, through all of the site messages and then text messages they’d exchanged, she truly enjoyed speaking with ‘SeaWorthy’ about anything and everything. He was intelligent, charming and witty, he seemed motivated to make his own business a success and his time in the Navy had taught him to be strong and stalwart. 

He seemed, at least in the written word, to be a truly honorable man. A rare gem indeed.

Opening her text messages she typed quickly, sending the message before she could change her mind. She tucked her phone away as she reached her office building, thanking the security officer as he held the glass door for her entry.

In a few minutes she would close another multi-million dollar deal, and then she could go home and start her weekend. And perhaps, just perhaps, prepare for her date tomorrow night. 

“Oh Gods” Davos exclaimed aloud as he opened his text messages. 

“What? Is something wrong?” Gendry asked, emerging from underneath the closest wooden boat frame that they were restoring. 

“She’s asked to meet.” 

“Who? LemonCake?” Gendry crowded closer and Davos shooed the younger man away with an elbow. 

“Yes” he crossed to the work bench. 

“You seem surprised” Gendry frowned, drinking from his thermos. “Didn’t you ask her to meet you already?” 

“Several times, but she didn’t seem interested” Davos scrolled through the messages and then back to her most recent one. 

_Tomorrow night. La Vita Nuova, 7?_ was all it said. He knew the restaurant well, it was a nice place on the pier, just down the shoreline from where he worked. It was small, but well known amongst the locals and their food was fairly good. 

He had been talking to ‘LemonCake’ for a few weeks now, and he had already asked her to meet him for dinner on a few occasions, but she had said that she wasn’t ready. Davos took that as a sign that it was possible that she wasn’t as interested in him as he was with her. 

Not that he was desperate by any means. He was a widower of almost 23 years, his wife Marya having passed away shortly after they had married. He hadn’t wanted to rush into another relationship, and as such dedicated himself to ‘Seaworth Crafts’, a wooden and antique boat restoration company that he had built with his own two hands. 

He worked hard, damned hard, and when he was finally able to take on an apprentice, he was lucky to find Gendry Waters looking for work at the local hardware store. Gendry was a good man, married with a son, and he was a damned hard worker too. It was Gendry who had encouraged him to get back into the dating pool when Davos expressed that he was rather lonely sometimes. He hadn’t dated, hadn’t had a lover, he had only his work to keep him busy and he felt as if a piece of his life was missing. 

Gendry had helped him to set up his profile on 'WesterosSrDate' and he had gone into the site without any expectations. He didn’t want a woman who was looking for someone to care for her. He preferred stronger women, independent if you will, who was confident in who she was and where she was going in life. 

He was picky, apparently and the result was waiting weeks for a single match. 

He had been so surprised by the email alert that he head nearly jumped out of his skin when his phone chimed. He read the email in disbelief and didn’t see the purpose in waiting to message her. ‘LemonCake’ she called herself, with a photo of a very pretty cat in the profile. 45, loved to cook and had already built her career, she seemed ideal and he was thrilled when she replied. 

From there, their messages went from website, to email, to text messaging and he began to look forward to when his usually silent phone chimed. 

“Maybe she didn’t trust you” Gendry shrugged, interrupting Davos’ wandering thoughts. “The internet is a cave of misery for women looking for love, I don’t blame her for taking her time to warm up to you.”

“Because I am so threatening” Davos scoffed. 

“If I remember correctly, your profile picture is that sailboat over there” he pointed across the workshop to the antique wooden boat Davos has rescued after a terrible harbor fire. It had become his pride and joy, and yes, it was his profile photo. 

“Her’s is a cat” Davos countered. 

“Like I said, can’t blame her” Gendry removed his work gloves to wipe the sweat from his face. “She is more likely to be attacked and murdered by someone from the internet than to find true love.” 

“You watch too much ‘Investigation Crime Scene’,” Davos warned. 

“Sure, sure” Gendry smirked. 

“So” Davos prompted and Gendry paused his check of the blue prints to look back at him. 

“So?” 

“So, what do I do?” 

“What do you want to do?” Gendry asked. 

“I want to meet her, of course” Davos replied. 

“Then meet her” Gendry laughed. “It’s simple.” 

“What if I am not…” he motioned to his person with a frown. 

He knew that he wasn’t exactly in peak physical shape. Sure, he had been a Navy man but those years were long passed and he had more ‘Dad-Bod’ than muscle these days. ‘Dad-bod’ being a term that Gendry’s wife, Arya, had explained to him several months back. He wasn’t overweight, but he wasn’t a bodybuilder. He was damned strong, he knew that much, he spent his days buried in manual labor and with that came a certain type of fitness. But still, he glanced to the text messages on his phone. What would LemonCake think? 

“Davos” Gendry said as his hand landed on Davos’ shoulder. “It’ll be alright. Have your hair and beard trimmed, wear that black turtleneck of yours and it will be fine.” 

“I haven’t been on a date in twenty years” Davos chuckled. “I don’t even know the etiquette.” 

“Bring her flowers” Gendry suggested. “And then...let her do most of the talking,” he laughed. 

“Right” Davos laughed, typing a response to the message and sending it before he could second-guess himself. “Guess I’ll be leaving early today to go to the barber.” 

“I’ll cover for you, Old Man. Just don't do anything that I wouldn't do!” Gendry tossed him a hammer and Davos deftly caught it, both of them returning to their work. 

“Okay, you can do this” Sansa psyched herself up as she stood outside ‘La Vita Nuova’. Even from outside she could hear the patrons inside the restaurant, laughing and enjoying their evening. 

She had dressed carefully, in dark wash jeans with heeled boots, and a pale pink blouse with a leather jacket over the top. Her hair was in a sleek ponytail that hung to her mid-back, and her makeup was light and clean. She didn’t want to walk into this looking like a try-hard. She had only changed three or four times--okay, five or six!

“Okay” she repeated and stepped inside and glanced around. It was dimly lit--no, intimately lit and there seemed to be a group at every table. She turned to her left and saw a man at the corner table. Broad of shoulder, grey of hair with black glasses...black turtleneck and a single rose on the end of the table. 

That was him. Oh Gods...

She felt short of breath as she walked closer, looking over the strong line of his bearded jaw and his bright blue eyes. _Don’t faint_ she thought to herself, over and over. He was clean cut, handsome and ...Oh Gods, the turtleneck. 

“Hi” she whispered as she reached the table and he looked up at her with clear confusion. 

“Er, hello?” Oh, Gods his voice--that accent, she was going to die, she was sure of it.

As carefully as possible, she slipped into the booth across from him, “I know that I should have told you---” 

“Told me what?” he narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?”

“SeaWorthy” she extended her hand. “I’m LemonCake.” 

“What?” he met her eyes, shaking his head. “No.” 

“Yes, I am---” 

“You’re---how old are you?” he replied and she cringed.

“I am 33, almost 34” she explained quickly. “I know that I said that I was 45 on my profile, but I didn’t--” 

“You lied” he said bluntly. 

“I did, but I didn’t do so with malicious intent,” she reasoned. “I was tired of being used by men and I just wanted to find someone who would like _me_.” 

“Is this some sort of joke?” he asked and her heart clenched. 

“No, please, I wouldn’t do that---” 

“But I don’t know you,” he reasoned. “You lied. What else did you lie about?” 

“Nothing” she pleaded. “Everything, all of it, was me. I promise.” 

“How can I trust that?” he looked to the window, clenching his jaw. “I'm sorry, I can’t do this” he stood from the booth. 

“No, please” she reached for his hand, taking it softly. “I am not a horrible person, I just…” 

“Lied.” 

“Please---” she pleaded but he moved away, her hand falling limply to her side as she watched him go. Her eyes tracked him as he moved out of the restaurant and back down the pier, the determined pace of his gait never slowing. “Fuck” she whispered, covering her face with her hands. After several minutes she realized she was softly crying at the booth and a waitress was standing at her side. 

“Ma’am?” 

“Sorry, I am just going to go” she stood, pausing only to grab the rose before she exited the restaurant. She walked quickly down the pier, grateful that her apartment wasn't too far away. She walked quickly, her head down as she cried the entire way back to her apartment. 

This was her fault, she knew it. She had blown it and she deserved to cry. She had lied, had hurt him and she would never be able to forget the way he looked--angry and betrayed. She was the worst sort of person, no better than the men who had toyed with her in the past.

She was a zombie as she made her way to her penthouse, Lemon danced around her feet as she shed her jacket and boots and when she unlocked her phone and found no new notifications aside from work emails, she took a deep breath and opened her internet browser. A few clicks later, she had deactivated her profile and parted ways with 'WesterosSrDate' forever.

“Cats” she whispered to herself as she shed her clothes and climbed into bed, ignoring the piles of clothes on the blankets from her earlier outfit changes. “Cats are always a good idea.” 

“She what!?” Gendry laughed, shaking his head. 

“She was young!” 

“How young?” Gendry asked. 

“She said 33” Davos explained. 

“So you left?” 

“She lied!” Davos countered just as Gendry’s phone rang. The younger man glanced at the screen. 

“Damn. It’s Arya, one second” he answered the call and Davos returned to the blueprints that he was working on at the work table. 

He had hardly slept all weekend, his thoughts returning every time to ‘LemonCake’ and the stunningly beautiful woman that had sat across from him. 

Admittedly, he had noticed her the moment she entered the restaurant, but didn’t let his eyes linger as he was already there to meet someone. Not that he would have had the confidence to speak with her anyway; women as beautiful and polished as she was, didn’t have time for men like him. But as she approached his table, in a pink blouse and leather jacket, his heart began to race. 

He doubted his own eyes, surely this woman wasn’t---but she was, and she had lied. 

He didn’t know why he had reacted so harshly to the revelation. Was it because she had lied or because he felt so wholly unworthy of sitting at the same table as her---he couldn’t tell. He was a blue collar man, and she, Gods she was beautiful and elegant, sophisticated to be sure and 14 years his junior. 

He heard Gendry mumble a good-bye and then he was walking towards him, phone in hand. 

“Was this her?” Gendry asked softly, setting his phone on the work bench in front of Davos. Davos felt his mouth go dry at the sight of Arya with the red-haired woman from the restaurant.

“Yes” he nodded. “How did you…?” 

“That’s Arya’s older sister, Sansa” Gendry explained. 

“Gods” Davos grimaced. 

“I didn’t tell you about it because, quite frankly, it wasn’t relevant,” Gendry shrugged. “But Sansa’s had a very bad few years. She dated my half-brother, Joffrey, for a while. He roughed her up pretty good and we helped her with the police and restraining order. The next man, Petyr, was using her for her connections is high society, started using her name to get into places that he didn’t belong” Gendry locked the phone and tucked it into his pocket. “And Harry was just a cheater than was in it for her money.” 

“Her money?” Davos asked gruffly. 

“She’s a real estate agent, good at what she does and she is very comfortable, if you know what I mean” Gendry said quietly. “She helped Arya and I find and buy the house we have.” 

“Gods” he sank to the stool at his work table. 

“She’s a good woman, just had shit luck with men” Gendry gave a short laugh. “I guess she was gushing to Arya about you and Arya is the one who told her to make the date, to tell you the truth about who she was. And now, she’s crying to Arya about the mistake she made.” 

Davos shook his head. “What a mess.” 

“I’ll say” Gendry said. “I didn’t tell Arya it was you.” 

“What?” Davos looked to his apprentice. 

“Arya doesn’t know it was you, I figured it out because I am hearing both sides of the story” Gendry explained. “I am telling you that Sansa is good people. She lied, yeah, but she came to tell you the truth. That takes guts. She could have just as easily ghosted you until you stopped talking altogether.” 

“And I walked out” Davos sighed.

“I can’t blame you for that either, but I know that San would have had her reasons to lie--not that that makes lying okay, just...” Gendry shrugged. “My guess is that she wanted to be liked for herself, not who she is or what she can buy.” 

“She said as much” Davos looked to his calloused hands, remembering how her fingers had felt against his for that brief moment. 

Gendry nodded, “She’s good people” he repeated. “So, think about it, ya know? Until then, your secret is safe with me.” 

“Thank you, Gendry” Davos said sincerely, nodding to his apprentice who returned to work. Davos leaned his elbows onto the workbench, his mind racing and he hardly knew which end was up. 

She had lied, but he hadn’t stayed to listen to her reasoning. Hadn’t stayed to talk with her to see if she truly was the person she had seemed to be in the written word. Perhaps it was his pride that had been wounded, or perhaps he felt as if he would be the butt of a joke if he stayed. He didn’t know, he just needed to escape that restaurant and he had abandoned her. 

“What a mess” he muttered to himself, running his hands over his beard in exasperation. “I’m going out” he called to Gendry and he exited to the shore, walking along the beach to clear his head. 

“I need those papers before five, please” Sansa called out to her assistant Brienne as she entered her office, dropping the stack of files onto her desk. 

She crossed to the window, looking out over the city and the harbor from her skyrise view. Her eyes lingered in the direction of the pier where she knew La Vita Nuova sat and forced herself to look away from the sight of her humiliation. 

Sinking into her plush leather chair, she began to work through the paperwork that she had gathered at her last meeting. On the surface it was all fairly straight-forward; Casterly Developments would purchase, outright, Direwolf Realty and take control of its holdings. Sansa would remain as a board member, but only as a courtesy. 

“Initial offer, seventy billion” she whispered to herself. She never thought her brainchild would be worth so much. She had started Direwolf Realty in her third year in college and worked her ass off to make it work. Land and Commercial realty were their specialities, and she had a knack for numbers. It had helped, of course, that she was pretty enough to attract attention but smart enough to close the deal. She had thrived on the pursuit, the chase of the next bigger fish, and it had sky-rocketed her business into the top echelon of realty. 

A few times over the last few years she had come up against Tywin Lannister along with his son and protege, Jaime Lannister, and when Tywin approached her a few months ago about a possible sale or merger, she hadn’t been interested. At first. 

Now, however, she paused at the figures and read over the details, it looked promising. Even if she sold, she would still collect dividends from any future transactions of existing clients, which would prove quite lucrative. The sum was exorbitant, of course, but she had worked hard and if she took the deal, she would be able to walk away, retire at 34 and take care of her family for the rest of her life. 

Family, she scoffed, closing the folder. She didn’t have--her thoughts were cut off as her phone rang. Assuming it was Arya, Sansa blindly picked it up. 

“I’m fine, I promise” Sansa laughed softly, knowing that she had already vented her spleen to her sister a few days ago, after her failed date. Arya had been sympathetic with only a small side of ‘I told you so’ mixed in, which was more than she could have asked for. Sansa had learned her lesson, she wouldn’t be trying a stunt like that ever again. 

“Well, that’s certainly good” the deep, gruff accent came back and Sansa instantly sat up straight. She swallowed thickly and checked the caller-ID, confirming her suspicions. It was him!

“H-hi” she whispered, unsure what else to say. 

“Hello” he replied. 

“You’re….calling” she closed her eyes at how stupid that sounded. 

“I am” he replied with a soft laugh. “I should have called sooner--in fact, I should have stayed and listened to you but I was upset.” 

“I know, and I am sorry--very sorry” she replied quickly. “I didn’t mean….I didn’t mean for all this.” 

“I know” he paused. “I talked with Gendry--” 

“What?” her stomach dropped. How could he know Gendry? Had he stalked her? _Oh no!_

“Gendry. Ah, you see, I am Gendry’s boss and he put it all together when Arya told him about your bad date” he explained. 

“Oh my Gods” Sansa groaned, letting her head fall to her desk. “You’re Gendry’s boss, Davos.” 

“I am.” 

“Oh Gods” she groaned again. Of course he would be the man that Gendry worshipped with every fiber of his shipwright's being.

“Small world, indeed” he chuckled, the sound deep and throaty, it washed over her like an aged whisky. 

“Are you calling to tell me you never want to speak to me again?” she asked without raising her head from her desk. 

“Wouldn’t that have been easier to achieve by simply _not_ calling?” he countered. 

She lifted her head, “Oh. Good point.” 

“I was calling to ask you to dinner--a real meal where we actually order food, this time,” he explained. 

“Dinner?” Sansa smiled. 

“Dinner” he repeated. 

“I--” Sansa cleared her throat. “Yes! I mean, yes! If you’re alright with homemade pot roast, I have one in the slow cooker…” He was Gendry’s boss, a man she had heard only good things about before, Gendry talked about him as if he walked on water, and she knew inherently that she could trust him. He was giving her a chance and she was going to show him who she was, really was. No more lies.

“I love pot roast” he replied softly. 

“I will message you my address, I should be home around 6:30” she told him. 

“Alright, I will see you then” he agreed. “Goodbye, Sansa.” 

“Wait!” Sansa called out as they were about to hang up. “You know I am Sansa Stark, but your name?” she laughed. “What is your full name?” 

“Davos” he replied. “Davos Seaworth.” 

“Seaworthy.” 

“Indeed.” 

“I will see you tonight, Davos” Sansa smiled and they ended the call. She couldn’t stop the smile from consuming her face. It must have been a huge, comical smile as it drew Brienne up short as she entered Sansa’s office. 

“Good Gods, are you alright?” Brienne asked. 

“I have a date!” Sansa giggled, spinning around her in chair, stopping herself after a few spins. “Sorry--yes, I am well.” 

“Right” Brienne set the papers on her desk. “Per your request.” 

“Thank you” Sansa took them, glancing at her watch. “Oh! I don’t have much time.” 

“No” Brienne smiled, amused by her antics. 

“I am going to go! I have to go!” Sansa quickly packed her bag. “I have to clean my apartment! I have to shave---EVERYTHING!” she pulled on her coat. 

“Good luck with that” Brienne handed her her travel mug. 

“Thank you! I will see you tomorrow” Sansa called out, rushing towards the elevator. So much to do, so little time! 

Davos stared up at the apartment building with growing trepidation. Sansa had given him her address and he was surprised that she lived within walking distance of the harbor, but he hadn’t expected her to live in the fanciest building on the block--if not in the city. Cautiously approaching the glass doors, he was met by the doorman who asked for his name. He gave it, unsure of what the next steps would be. 

“Ms. Stark is expecting you, I was told to escort you up straight away” the man replied with a smile, motioning to an officer inside. In a flash, the door was open and he was being led through the glass and metal foyer by a large, scarred man who looked as if he were bored out of his mind. 

They didn’t speak during their elevator ride to the top and when the doors finally opened, it wasn’t to a hallway like he was expecting, but into the living room of a very expensive penthouse apartment. He fought the urge to turn and leave, fought the urge to run and even looked up at the guard who was holding the door open. 

“Well?” the man prompted. 

“Hello Sandor! Thank you for bringing him up” Sansa’s voice sounded and Davos stepped from the elevator to see her coming from what must be the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. 

“No problem” Sandor grumbled and vanished back into the elevator. Suddenly they were alone and Davos was very overwhelmed. 

“Hi” Sansa’s voice brought him back to the present and he looked to her. She was just as beautiful as he remembered, clad in dark jeans and a simple grey top, her feet bare this time, revealing that she was a very tall woman without the help of heels. 

“Hello” he raised the bottle of red wine that he had brought. 

“Perfect” she stepped closer, taking the bottle. She looked up into his eyes and he knew that he was absolutely, positively, in over his head. “I am glad you came.” 

“Me too” he replied, extending his hand. “Davos Seaworth.” 

“Sansa Stark” she handed the wine bottle to her opposite hand and slipped her fingers into his. “It's really great to meet you.” 

“You too” he replied as a grey three-legged cat bounded around the corner to greet him. 

“That is Lemon Cake” Sansa smiled down at the feline. 

“Lemon Cake, sounds familiar” Davos bent down to scoop of the cat, holding it to his chest as he scratched its chin. “A right purr machine, she is” he smiled as the cat’s purr echoed in the entry. 

“She likes you” Sansa smiled. “Come, I was just putting the last bit of dinner together."

“I rather like her, too” Davos smiled in return, carrying the cat as he followed Sansa into the kitchen. Her apartment was clean and well appointed, and when he had anticipated fancy artwork, he found only family photographs on the wall and large refrigerator. Davos set the cat down in the kitchen as he entered, just in time to see Sansa pull the bowl from the crock pot and start to spoon out vegetables. 

“I can help, if that’s heavy” he moved to her side and she let him take the bowl to hold while she finished with the veggies. 

“Thank you” she smiled as she lifted the pot roast from inside. He could see it was cooked to perfection, falling apart as she cut it and he had a vague memory of her saying she loved to cook. Judging by the smell, not only did she enjoy it but she was very adept at it. 

“It smells wonderful” he said softly, watching her work. 

“I am glad you think so,” she replied. “It's an old Stark recipe and if you tell Gendry I made it for you he will hate you for not bringing him any. There is likely to be lots left over, so I can make you a bowl to take him.”

“I owe him a bit of a favor, I am sure he would appreciate that” Davos chuckled, carrying the bowl back to the crock pot and setting it inside. 

“There is salad in the fridge” Sansa told him as she carried their plates to the round table near the windows. “You can grab whatever dressing you like.” 

Davos nodded, almost chuckling at how she was already unafraid to put him to work. He did as she asked, carrying everything to the table where she was standing, nibbling on her thumb. 

“Everything alright?”

“I am glad you came” she blurted out, turning to face him. “I know that I screwed this all up before it even started, but--yeah, I am glad that you’re here.” 

“Me too” he assured her, placing the salad on the table. He extended his hand to her and she smiled, immediately taking it with her own. “Davos Seaworth. Pleasure to meet you.” 

“Sansa Stark” she smiled brightly and he was nearly dumbstruck at how beautiful she was. “Pleasure is all mine. Now let’s eat!” 

“No, no” Sansa laughed, shaking her head. “No, _I_ was going to be a ballerina and Arya was going to play professional football,” she explained. 

“Well, that makes more sense, she seems the type for it” Davos agreed and Sansa laughed harder, relaxing against the padded loveseat on the balcony. Lemon was fast asleep on Davos’ lap, having settled in the moment he was sitting on the loveseat. It made Sansa smile to see how comfortable her cat was with the newcomer--not to mention his lap was bigger than her own. 

Dinner had been fantastic, one of the best she’d had in years, in fact. Not because of the food, but because of the company, Davos was every inch the man he seemed to be; more than she could have ever hoped for. He was smart, witty and laughing with him was as easy as breathing. 

They had enjoyed far too much pot roast and vegetables before adjourning to the balcony to enjoy the summertime air and a few glasses of wine. They were relaxing, side by side, on the loveseat, their feet propped up on the ottoman as they watched the harbor. Though they were several stories into the sky, it didn’t hinder the view, but instead gave them a view over the shops on the shore, directly to the water. 

“This is a beautiful view” Davos mused, as if reading her mind. 

“I fell in love with the view the moment I visited the building” Sansa admitted. “I love being able to hear the sea from bed. In the summer, I leave the sliding door open and just have the screen in place, I feel like I am sleeping right on the beach.” 

“You like the beach then?” 

“I love it” Sansa nodded, sipping her wine. “I grew up in the North, close to Wintertown, and all I ever wanted was to see the ocean. As soon as I could, I came to Storm’s End. Just me and Arya in a moving truck, ready for adventure. I love everything about it here.” 

“I grew up on the shores of King’s Landing and moved to Storm’s End after I left the Navy. I have spent most of my life on that ocean.” 

“And now you restore antique watercraft” she prompted. 

“I do” he nodded. “Hard work, but it's honest and rewarding.”

“I would imagine so.” 

“Gendry said you were in real estate” Davos prompted. 

“I am” Sansa nodded, then leaned over to set her glass on the side table. “Davos, I want to be honest with you about everything from the start--or restart as it is.” 

“Well, I already know your real age” he chuckled. “What else could it be?” 

“I own Direwolf Realty” she said softly, taking his hand in hers. 

“ _The_ Direwolf Realty?” his calloused fingers wrapped around hers and her heart warmed. “Guess I should have been paying attention to all the local news then, eh?”

She nodded. “I started it in college and if things go well, I will be selling it at the end of this year.” 

“Gods” Davos exhaled. “That would make you fairly rich then.” 

“I own this building, and a few others in the city” she gave a small smile. “I am wealthy--more so than I ever set out to be, yes. But I don’t spend like an heiress or buy useless things. I invest and I help my family.” 

“Gendry said you helped them buy a house” Davos nodded. 

“I did the same for my elder brother Robb and his wife” Sansa explained. 

“Oh wow” Davos set his glass aside to face her. “That’s why--the other men, you said.” 

“I am connected in Storm’s End Society and along with my wealth, that attracts the wrong kind of men” she nodded with a frown. “I let myself be taken advantage of for too long and I decided that I wanted to take control of my own fate.” 

“I see.” 

“I didn’t join 'WesterosSrDate' to set out to deceive anyone, I just,” she sighed. “I wanted to know if there were better men out there. Kinder, genuine.” 

“And what did you discover?” he asked. 

“That there is at least one one” she admitted, feeling her cheeks heat. 

“Just one” he chuckled. 

“Well, you were my only match” she laughed. “I deleted my profile and I haven’t been back.” 

“You deleted it? I admit I haven't checked recently.” 

“After our first meeting, yes” she explained, grabbing her wine glass to take a sip. 

“You know” Davos smiled over at her, his light blue eyes twinkling in the evening light. “You were my only match, too.” 

“Really? I find that hard to believe” Sansa shook her head. 

“I didn’t pay much attention to it once Gendry helped me set it up” he paused. “I really am terrible with technology, you should know that now. I can navigate by the stars, but I can’t figure out Facebook to save my life.” 

“I don’t have Facebook” Sansa admitted. “Direwolf has a page, but I don’t have a profile. I don’t particularly like social media. It is a necessary evil for a business owner, you have to have a presence, you know? But I don’t care for it.”

“Nor do I. Gendry handles the business page for us,” Davos agreed, his hand that wasn’t still in hers idly scratching Lemon. 

“She was hit by a car” Sansa said, by way of explanation and Davos looked to the sleeping cat. “They hit her and just left her in the road. People didn’t want to adopt a ‘special cat’, but I loved her the moment I saw her.” 

“She is a very sweet girl” Davos noted. “People are too callous towards animals, they don’t realize--or maybe they don’t care about the consequences of their actions.” 

“Everyone is too buried in their phones to care about what goes on outside the windows of their Mercedes” Sansa sighed, relaxing against the back of the loveseat, one hand holding Davos’, the other holding her glass of wine. “I like this, though.” 

“This?” 

“Sitting on the balcony, listening to the water and talking. Talking to you” Sansa turned to face him, giving a small smile. “Having a real conversation. A real connection.” 

“I agree” he raised their joined hands, staring at them for a moment before he placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand. She felt the warmth of his lips and the soft brush of his beard, a contrast that seemed oddly and utterly perfect. “I greatly agree.” 

Sansa smiled, moving closer and snuggling herself to his side. She let the warmth of his body seep into hers as they watched the remainder of the sunset over the water. Every once and a while she would catch a whiff of his cologne, the clean scent that she would forever associate with Davos, and she could hear his breathing and Lemon’s purring as they share the most companionable, pleasant silence of her life.

“Did she make you pot roast!?” Gendry’s yelling could be heard the moment he emerged from his car. "What in The Seven buggering---" his car door slammed.

“Aye, she did, ya wee bull” Davos laughed as he yelled back at his apprentice. 

Gendry then burst through the shop doors, “If you didn’t bring me some, I swear I will quit!”

“You’d never!”

“I would!” Gendry smirked and Davos nodded to the small fridge in the corner of the shop. 

“It's in there, calm yourself” Davos hadn’t finished getting the words out and Gendry was darting across the shop. The second the glass dish was in his hand, he cracked the lid just enough to smell the contents inside. 

“Gods, I swear, Stark pot roast is the best pot roast on the planet” Gendry carefully closed it and tucked it back into the fridge, saving it for lunch. 

“You’re married a Stark, have her make it for you” Davos suggested. 

“Sansa makes it the best” Gendry’s smile fell. “Don’t tell Arya I said that!” 

“I won’t” Davos pulled on his leather work gloves to sort through a pile of planks. “I don’t need your wife coming after me.” 

They worked in silence for a few minutes, Gendry pouring himself coffee from the carafe near the workbench and Davos knew that any minute the boy was going to ask about the dinner date. 

“So?” Gendry prompted. 

That didn’t take long. 

“So?” Davos repeated. 

“How’d it go?”

“Pot Roast is good” Davos decided he would toy with the younger man a bit. 

“Oh come on!” Gendry sighed in exasperation. “Arya wouldn’t tell me what Sansa said, now that she knows that you’re Sansa’s mystery man we’ve been divided into girls and boys teams, its like junior high all over again. Please, for the love of the Gods give me something!” 

Davos paused his work, leaning on a large plank with both hands as he faced Gendry, “What is it that you want to know?”

“Did you like her? Did you enjoy her or just the pot roast? Did you kiss her or---wait, she’s my good sister, I don’t think I want to know if you--yeah, no” Gendry shook his head. 

Davos enjoyed the boys discomfort for several minutes before he spoke, “I did like her, very much. And no, we didn’t kiss, ye nosy blighter.” 

“Well, why not? Is my sister not pretty enough?” Gendry asked and when Davos gave him an exasperated expression, he sighed. “Alright, fine. Just know, boss or not, break her heart and I will break your legs. Capiche?” 

“Capiche” Davos agreed, unable to stop smiling the entire day as he worked. Hell, he didn’t even stop smiling as Gendry scarfed down his pot roast lunch and started eyeing the bowl that Sansa had packed for him. He just shooed his apprentice away and ate his lunch in peace. 

“Tell me again, Davos, what is she doing with you?” Stannis smiled across the table at Sansa and she shook her head as Davos laughed. 

“I will let you know when I figure that out” Davos assured his oldest friend, one who had become a friend of Sansa’s as well. He had introduced her to Stannis Baratheon several months ago, a few months into their relationship and they seemed to instantly hit it off. Sansa was more than he could have ever hoped to meet on that silly website, and now, several months later, she had become such an important part of his life he couldn’t remember what it had been like before her. 

“Dad” Shireen whispered and Stannis leaned down to listen to his daughter’s secret.

“You know” Sansa smiled, setting aside her napkin. “I am going to go to the little girl’s room, would you care to join?” Sansa asked Shireen, who was only ten years old and in complete awe of Sansa. 

“Okay” Shireen nodded and slid from her chair as Stannis gave Sansa a smile of thanks. Davos watched the two make their way through the restaurant, one tall and fiery, the other short and inky black of hair. 

“You’d better marry her, before she gets away” Stannis advised once the girls were out of sight. Davos turned back this his eldest friend, one he had met while in the Navy and they were closer now than brothers. 

“What?” 

“She’s wonderful, really” Stannis reasoned, leaning his forearms on the table. “Smart, kind, beautiful--and for some reason entirely smitten with you.” 

“I can’t even begin to explain it” Davos chuckled. 

“Shireen talks about her all the time” Stannis explained. “Told all of her friends at school that Sansa Stark is going to be her Aunt.” 

“Good Gods” Davos scoffed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” 

“Why not?” Stannis asked. “You two are clearly well-matched. You’re with her more often than not these days and when I can’t get ahold of you, it is because you two are out on your boat somewhere playing hookie from life.” 

“She’ll be selling her company soon” Davos said, his tone serious. “Expressed an interest in travelling.” 

“Then take her” Stannis replied quickly. 

“She’s a---” Davos cleared his throat and set his napkin on the table to wipe a hand over his beard. “She’s a billionaire--several times over.” 

“So?” Stannis looked confused as to why that was a problem. 

“I don’t want to be--you know, a kept man” Davos reasoned and Stannis’ laugh echoed in the restaurant. 

“Oh Gods” Stannis laughed, wiping his face. “As if you would ever be a ‘kept man’. You’ll work yourself to death eventually, I swear.” 

“Stannis--”

“No” Stannis shook his head. “Don’t let her get away, or I’ll marry her myself,” he warned. 

“You cad! It’d be pistols at dawn before I’d let that happen” Davos mock glared as the girls appeared, making their way back through the restaurant towards their table. Beyond the open veranda, the ocean lapped softly against the pier, the sound a comfort to Davos as he watched Sansa take her seat beside him. 

“Ok?” Sansa whispered, leaning into his side as was her habit anytime they sat together.. 

“Absolutely” Davos assured her, taking her hand as they resumed the pleasant wait for their meals. 

“You alright?” Sansa asked him again later that night as they stood on the pier behind ‘Seaworth’s Crafts’. 

“Of course” Davos promised, sipping from his mug of tea. After their dinner with Stannis and Shireen, they had returned to his modest house along the shore, one that was beside the warehouses where he worked each day. 

The first time he had brought Sansa here, he had almost been embarrassed at how humble his house was compared to her apartment. He was a blue collar man, he didn’t have much but he had worked hard for what he did have. Sansa, however, seemed to love it. She had immediately kicked off her shoes, running to the shore to dip her feet into the crystal clear waters. She was an interesting woman, his Sansa. 

His. Was she his? They hadn’t exactly talked about what they ‘were’, they had just fallen into this easy sort of routine. Shared meals, shared outings and shared nights. Most weekends found them on the open water together, Davos teaching her to sail like a pro. Then when they found a shady cove, they would relax together, or enjoy the privacy afforded of being so far away from civilisation. He’d gone without a woman’s touch for over 20 years, he was grateful that Sansa’s delicate hand was reacquainting him with the physical act of love.

Truthfully, he supposed they didn’t need to talk about it, everything had fallen into place like two pieces of a puzzle. 

He watched her sip her tea, eyes fluttering shut as she enjoyed the sunset along the water. The sunsets had become theirs, their special hour of twilight where they were the only people in the world that existed. 

“Are you sure?” Sansa asked, looking over at him. 

He nodded, “Lots to think on.” 

“Like what?” 

“We’re very different, you and I,” he said and saw her face melt into a deep frown. 

“Is that bad?” she asked. 

“No, not at all” he assured her, reaching out to take her free hand with his. “Just different. I never would have imagined that someone like you was out there.” 

“Like me?” she smirked. 

“You intimidate me” he admitted shyly. “You’re 14 years my junior and yet you’ve taken the world by the horns. It is...humbling.” 

“Davos--” 

“It isn’t a bad thing, far from it,” he continued. “It just makes me wonder” he turned to face her. “What am I going to have to do to keep you?” 

She smiled, that truly brilliant smile that she had reserved only for him--and sometimes Lemon, “You could try asking.” 

“I could” Davos smirked, chuckling softly as he stepped closer. 

“Tell me that you love me” Sansa whispered, lowering her hand that held her mug so that they could stand closer together. 

“I could” Davos teased and she sighed in exasperation. “Impatient thing, you are.” 

“Davos--” 

“I love you” he cut her protest off. “I don’t know when it happened. Maybe in the first night on the balcony, or maybe slowly over the last few months. But I _am_ in love with you, Sansa.” 

“I love you too” she replied, her eyes bright with unshed tears. 

“Don’t you dare cry on me” he gently squeezed her hand. 

“I can’t help it” she said. “I have waited a very long time to find a man like you, Davos.” 

“At the risk of sounding bawdry, all you had to do was go down to the docks” he laughed and she giggled along with him. 

“You know what I mean” she whispered, stepping closer to lay her head against his chest. 

“I know” he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her forehead. Several moments passed before Sansa looked up at him and he met her lips in a soft kiss. They kissed for several minutes, alternating between gentle and teasing, and deep and sinful. They kissed until Sansa’s lips were swollen and he was more than ready to carry her to bed. 

“Let’s go inside” Sansa smiled. “We can open the windows in the bedroom, listen to the ocean and spend the rest of the night simply forgetting the rest of the world.” 

“That sounds perfect to me” he kissed her once more, her lips lingering against his for a moment. 

He remembered the first time he kissed her--or rather, she had kissed him. It had been on the pier near La Vita Nuova, after their second date, as they watched the evening sunset. Sansa had warned him that she was going to kiss him, and he didn't object--he wanted it with every fiber of his being. It had been gentle, soft and exploratority, as most first kisses were. But the feeling had remained with him for days afterwards. So much so that Gendry had noticed his upbeat mood and given him hell for it. 

He had taken greater care to conceal his emotions after the first night he had spent with Sansa. He didn’t need Gendry giving him a hard time about that one, too. 

That night had been a few months ago now, and one of the best of his life to date. It was everything--as cliche as it sounded. Gentle, passionate and Gods he couldn’t have imagined how beautiful Sansa was until he watched her come apart above him, her body fluttering around his. 

“Come on” Sansa took his hand, pulling him back to the present and tugging him towards the bungalow along the water, one he had called home for many years. Davos followed, letting this siren that had burrowed her way into his heart lead her back to the once-abandoned master bedroom where he was certain they would enjoy the sounds of the ocean as they devoured each other. 

“Ms. Stark” Tywin Lannister greeted her with a handshake before he took his seat at the conference table. 

“Mr. Lannister” she turned to Jaime. “Mr. Lannister, thank you for coming all the way up town,” she said. 

“It is no problem at all” Tywin said, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he relaxed in his chair. “I hear you have good news for me.” 

“My lawyers and your lawyers have finally reached an accord” Sansa smiled, sitting across from him. 

“Have they” he smirked and she felt his leonin glare cut through her. “That is good news.”

“They have” she opened the file and slid it across to him. “Sign on the lines, initial a few places and you’re the new owner of Direwolf Realty.”

“Perfect” Tywin glanced over the files and looked to his lawyer, Addam Marbrand, who was sitting with her lawyer Jory Cassel. They had all been going back and forth for months, neither party willing to relinquish an inch. Several moments passed and Tywin set the file back on the table to look at her, “Seventy-nine billion, my my, you are quite the negotiator.” 

“Nothing to negotiate” Sansa countered. “My company is profitable, upward trending and damned good at what they do. You’re fortunate that I am in the mind to sell and not to take Casterly to the mattresses. It could very well be me buying you out.” 

“I like your spirit” The Great Lion of Lannister watched her keenly. “You’d have made a formidable Lannister.” 

“And yet in two months, I will be a Seaworth” she raised her left hand to show the simple antique gold and diamond engagement ring on her finger. 

“Seaworth, I am not familiar with the name” Tywin remarked. 

“You wouldn’t be” Sansa assured him. “It is a name of no consequence to high society, but it is an honest name. A name that loves beyond material worth.” 

She wasn’t part of the society game that the Lannisters and Tyrells seemed to always play, moving about as pawns in a great scheme. She had encountered the Lannisters before when she dated Joffrey, and while she respected Tywin’s business sense, his daughter was a royal bitch. Cersei was Joffrey’s most staunch defender and had been difficult to deal with at the end of her relationship with the monster Cersei had spawned. She would never have wanted to be a Lannister.

Now, however, she was taking a large chunk of that Lannister fortune for her own, the honest way and not on her back. She had built an empire, and she would leave it in their capable hands while she sailed off into the sunset with her very own prince charming. 

She couldn’t have predicted that a ‘seniors’ dating site would bring her to the man she’d spend the rest of her life with, but she was very grateful for the little lie that had put her on his path. Davos was a good man, honorable, hard-working and unfailingly kind to everyone. She had never met a man like him before, and knew she wouldn’t find one like him again. He was a balance to her type-a personality, encouraging and understanding. Only a few months into their relationship, she knew that she never wanted it to end, the warm, tingling feeling of being in love settled into her blood and she relished in it. So when the time came and he had asked her, on bended knee at the pier, to be his wife, she sobbed with happiness, belatedly remembering to say ‘yes’ before he slid the ring onto his finger. 

She didn’t care that they had an audience, she grabbed him and kissed him like there was no tomorrow. He was hers, and she was his, until the end of their days. 

“I see” Tywin nodded his head. “I wish you two every happiness” he picked up the pen and signed quickly before sliding the papers to Jaime, who also signed. 

“Congratulations, Ms. Stark” Jaime said with that smooth smile of his. “You’re the second richest person in the world.” 

“Give me time” she smirked, looking to Tywin. “I’ll catch up fast.” 

“I admire your spirit” Tywin stood, shaking her hand once more. “The wire will be sent in a few days.” 

“Take your time” Sansa smiled, taking his hand. “I know where to find you if you renege.” 

“Indeed” Jaime said, shaking her hand. “And congratulations on the engagement.” 

“Thank you,” Sansa smiled, watching as Jory led them to the door, closing it behind the Lannisters as they left. Jory took a deep breath looking back to her with a smile.

“We did it!” Jory laughed, the sound more of relief than anything else. They’d been working non-stop and at all hours for this, and it had finally come to fruition.

“We did it!” Sansa screamed, bouncing up and down, celebrating in her own little world. 

“Davos! Daaavos!!!” Davos turned to see Sansa running down the pier towards where he and Gendry were maneuvering another completed boat onto the docks. 

“What’s happened?” he turned to face her, watching as she ran out of her high heels and threw herself into his arms. She wore her dark business slacks and button down grey blouse, which meant she had come straight from the office. 

“It’s sold!” she laughed, holding tightly to him. 

“What?” he marvelled, holding his fiancee close. “It is?” 

“Yes!” she laughed, her head thrown back as her fiery hair danced around them. 

“My woman” he spun her around and set her on her feet. “Congratulations.”

“Let’s run away” Sansa whispered, nuzzling against his cheek. “Sail the world, if only for a few months. A year, even!” 

“Anywhere” Davos agreed, basking in the happiness emanating from her person. He could feel the celebration vibrating through her and it only made him smile wider. He knew how hard she had worked on this sale, how many hours of sleep she had sacrificed. He had witnessed it himself as she fell asleep at the table, at her desk, on the porch as they watched the sunset. She had worked damned hard to get where she was, and now it had all paid off. 

“Hey San!” Gendry waved from the boat and Sansa laughed, snuggling against Davos’ chest. 

“Party tonight!” Sansa called out to her brother-in-law.

“Oh?” 

“Arya will be here soon with supplies” Sansa beamed. 

“Will she?” Davos asked. 

“Absolutely” Sansa kissed his chin. “Party at the Seaworths.” 

“Party at the Seaworths” Davos agreed, pulling her close to kiss her softly. “I love you.” 

“I love you” she replied, wrapping her arms around him. Gendry had just moved back to the docks when Arya’s car appeared on the drive, followed by Robb’s, and then Ned and Catelyn’s.

“The whole gang's here” Gendry laughed, removing his gloves. 

“I said ‘party’ didn’t I?” Sansa smiled, turning to face her family as they parked and began to spill from their cars. 

“Starks everywhere” Davos muttered. 

“Be fair, some are Waters’,” Sansa kissed him before moving away to greet her family with hugs and kisses. 

Gendry clapped Davos on the shoulder, “Soon you’ll be my brother” he smiled. “Then you’re really stuck with us.” 

“Aye, in a few months” Davos agreed. 

“That means you have to face the in-laws with me at every holiday” Gendry smirked and Davos laughed, both of them making their way back down the docks to mingle with the family. Davos was surprised to see Stannis’ truck appear on the horizon and soon Stannis and Shireen were in the fray, the kids running around with the dogs that had poured from the Stark cars, laughing hysterically. 

Davos shook Stannis’ hand before moving to greet Ned and Catelyn. They hadn’t been too pleased with him and Sansa at first, but they were slowly warming up. Probably because, in their minds, he had gotten Sansa to set aside her career goals and settle down. Little did they know that Sansa had the sharpest business mind he had ever experienced and because of it, any children they had would be set for life. He was in awe of her. 

“Davos” Ned shook his head and Davos nodded. 

“Ned. I hear there’s a party to be had” Davos smiled. 

“Absolutely” Ned smiled. “Our girl has pulled everyone together.” 

“She does that” Davos looked to where Sansa was talking with Shireen, Sansa’s lean form crouched to talk with Shireen on her eye-level, listening intently. 

You’d never know it by talking to her, or watching her interact with children, that Sansa was one of the wealthiest women in the world. Instead you would see only kindness pouring from a large heart, a woman who wanted nothing more than a family of her own. 

They had talked about it, early on in their relationship, talked about children and family. He had long given up the idea of having children of his own, just as he had given up on the idea of marrying again. But that all changed with the arrival of Sansa in his life. Now he found himself wondering what their children would look like, if their daughter would favor her coloring or if their son would look like him. An odd notion to a man so-long a bachelor, but something he wholly welcomed. 

As if she felt his gaze, Sansa turned to look back at him and then whispered something to Shireen with a mischievous smile. Shireen laughed and ran to him, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. 

“We’re having a party, Uncle Davos” Shireen exclaimed. 

“That we are” he agreed, hugging her briefly before swinging her to his back, carrying her across the yard to where the rest of the crowd had gathered. He kissed Sansa quickly as he reached her side and they walked together to join their family.

“I love it here” Sansa sighed, snuggling to Davos’ side as they lay in a hammock on the deck of his sailboat, ‘The Cobblecat'. “I love this.” 

“It is rather idyllic, isn’t it” Davos tightened the arms he had wrapped around her. “Just us Seaworths and the sea.” 

“Absolutely” Sansa kissed her husband’s cheek and then his lips as he turned to smile at her. They’d been married a fortnight ago in a small, intimate ceremony on the beach. They’d invited only their family and closest friends, swearing them all to secrecy to avoid any unwanted photographers showing up to capture the event. 

They had captured the eye of the Storm's End media when Direwolf Realty became a part of Casterly Developments. The Great Lion had come to Storm’s End from Lannisport to personally oversee the transition and it had thrown the paparazzi into a frenzy. 

At first, newspapers and magazines couldn’t seem to understand why Sansa Stark, billionaire and real estate mogul, had chosen to settle down with a retired Navy man who built boats for a living, but soon they were capturing candid photos of them together and it became clear that there was love, true love, between them. They’d unintentionally become media darlings and wanted to make sure their wedding remained private and a secret, and their plan had worked. 

They’d set sail two days later, heading South through the Narrow Sea towards Dorne and Sunspear. Fresh air, sunshine and beautiful sights were the perfect honeymoon adventure. Lemon was being cared for by Arya and Gendry, while they were away, but the unique feline had become quite an ocean-farer herself. She fit into a small dog-sized life jacket, just in case something should happen, but she enjoyed sitting on the bow and turning her face to the sunshine. 

Eventually they would sail home, back to the house on the shore, and settle into married life. She would keep busy with her investments while Davos worked on his boats, an activity made all the more enjoyable, or so he said, by Sansa’s proximity and Lemon’s penchant to visiting him in the shop. The cat certainly enjoying having rule of the roost out here on the shore and loved to sleep on the docks beside where Davos was working.

“You know” Sansa leaned up on an elbow beside him, not an easy task in a hammock. “There’s no one around for miles.” 

“True” Davos smirked. “Could be why you’ve forgotten your swimsuit below deck, eh, Mrs. Seaworth?” his hand ran down her bare back, sending shivers across her skin. 

“Possibly” she smiled. “Could be why you did the same, Mr. Seaworth,” she trailed her fingers down his bare chest, letting them wander lower. 

“Could be” he agreed and she leaned down to kiss him, both of them very much enjoying another sunset on the Summer Sea. 

“Look, there’s Gendry” Sansa pointed out as they piloted into the bay that would lead them to Seaworth’s Crafts and home. “Oh look how much baby Barra has grown!”

“We’ve been away for three months. I’d imagine she’s grown a bit. And she’s not the only one” he smirked, watching as Sansa’s hand settled over her stomach. Though she had suspected it before they sailed, she hadn’t told him of her suspicions until she was bent over the rail of 'The Cobblecat', surrendering nearly every meal. 

A maester near The Vale had confirmed it, smiling as he told them that they would be welcoming a son or daughter in six months time. With that revelation, they had turned homeward bound. It only seemed fitting that their unborn child spend the first few months of its being on the open water, and it made Davos beam with pride every time he thought about it. 

“No, she’s certainly not” Sansa waved as Arya appeared from the shop with Orys at her legs, jumping wildly. A few moments later, Davos had guided them to the dock and Gendry stepped in to flip the buoys and tie them off. 

“Oh my Gods!” Arya yelled, obviously having spotted Sansa’s stomach, which was now quite visible. 

“I know!” Sansa disembarked and was immediately pulled into her sister’s embrace. 

“You didn’t tell me!” Arya laughed. 

“We wanted it to be a surprise” Sansa assured her sister as Davos unclipped Lemon’s life jacket and tucked the cat under his arm to disembark and shake Gendry’s hand. 

“What have you done to my sister” Gendry teased and Davos only shook his head. 

“What haven’t I--”

“Little ears” Arya warned, smiling at Davos for a moment before she hugged him. “Welcome back.” 

“Thank you, it is good to be back” Davos said. “We have a bit of work to do, lots of preparations to make.” 

“I can’t wait” Sansa beamed, moving back to his side and taking his hand. Davos placed a kiss on her temple before covering her stomach with his spare hand. Sansa’s hand automatically came up to cover his, a gesture he had come to love, as it reminded him that soon they would be a family of three. 

“Everyone is waiting for news of your return” Arya said. “I was sure they would descend like vultures, demanding tales of your travels, though I dare say they will be distracted by your news.” 

“I am sure that Mother will have a field day” Sansa groaned. “So you’d better save me.”

“We could wait to tell them” Arya suggested. 

“Too late, already sent the message” Gendry smirked, handing Barra to Arya before scooping up Orys and tossing him over his shoulder before he could go swimming again. The boy sure did love the water. 

“Traitor!” Arya quipped at her husband.

“I have to make sure that I am still the favorite good-son” Gendry countered. 

“You won’t be once Mother finds out about Baby Seaworth” Sansa stuck her tongue out at Gendry and he carried Orys by without a care in the world. 

“Traitor” Arya muttered again, but smiled as Barra let out a happy laugh. “And Barra agrees.” 

“She’s a smart baby” Sansa agreed, taking her 11-month old niece from her sister and settling her as best she could on her hip. “I can’t get over how much she looks like you,” she told Arya. 

“Fortunately. I would hate to have doomed my daughter with Gendry’s shoulders,” Arya agreed as they made their way up the docks towards the house. After they married, she and Davos had refurbished and expanded the small seashore cottage, starting with the kitchen since they both loved to cook, and Davos was grateful that it had enough room to accommodate their growing family. 

Sansa smiled back at Davos and he returned the gesture, openly admiring his wife as they made their way to the house. He was a lucky man, there was no doubt about that. As far as he knew, lying about her age to join ‘WesterosSrDate’ was the only lie his wife had ever told, and he was deeply grateful for it. Without it, he wasn’t certain they would have crossed paths. Perhaps, since they both knew Gendry, they would have met at some point, but he couldn’t be certain and he wouldn’t want to have risked never meeting her at all. 

‘Meow’ Lemon greeted the house as they walked up the porch steps. 

“That’s right, we’re home, Lemon” Sansa smiled, then looked to Davos. 

“Home” Davos smiled. He’d sailed every ocean known to man, but home? Home was the very best place in the world.

“They’re back” Sansa sighed, glancing to the photographers attempting to look casual further up the boardwalk along the pier. 

“I noticed” Davos chuckled, adjusting the bundle in his arms. While he was only four months old, Matthos Seaworth was much bulkier in his Halloween costume and Davos kept hitting himself in the face with the shark costume’s pointed nose. 

“They’re trying to catch a glimpse of the elusive Seaworth heir” she giggled to herself, raising the camera to take a photo of Davos and Matthos together. 

From the moment the Storm’s End media noticed that the billionaire formerly known as Sansa Stark was pregnant, their appearances in their lives seemed to grow in number. They hadn’t managed to get a photograph of the Stark-Seaworth wedding, so they were determined to make up for it with being the first to get a photo of the Stark-Seaworth baby. 

Matthos Devon Seaworth was born in the height of Summer, arriving with the dark hair and bright eyes of his Father. He was the most beautiful and perfect baby in the world, though Sansa was very biased, and both her and Davos had cried at the wonderful being they had created together. Davos, who had given up on having a family of his own and Sansa, who hadn’t dared to hope she would get the chance to be a mother, at last had a bouncing baby boy of their very own.

“No heir here” Davos chuckled. “Just a baby shark--” 

“Don’t!” Sansa cut him off. “No--please, Gods, no more of that song” she laughed, shaking her head. 

“I thought it was your favorite” Davos teased. 

“Maybe the first _hundred_ times I heard it” she replied sarcastically, looping her arm around his waist as they rounded the edge of the boardwalk and turned onto the pier. Up ahead, she could already see the familiar Stark, Baratheon and Waters’ faces, most everyone dressed up for the Halloween festivities. 

Upon being spotted, Shireen darted from the crowd, rushing forward to hug Sansa tightly.

“Happy Halloween!” Sansa smiled, hugging the girl she considered a niece. “You’re a perfect mermaid, look at you!” she smiled down at Shireen’s glittering purple tail and shell-style top. Even her long inky black hair had a few shells pinned to it, the perfect match for the glitter around her eyes. 

When Sansa had told Shireen that Matthos was going to be a shark for his first Halloween, Shireen had immediately decided that a nautical theme would ‘just be the best’ (her words). Of course, Davos and Stannis indulged her, both dressing like cranky old fishermen for the occasion. It looked as if Stannis had even gone so far as to break out a yellow rain slicker and matching hat, now that she had to get a picture of! So obviously it was decided that all of the ladies were all going to be mermaids, Shireen in purple, Sansa in blue and Catelyn in red. Arya refused to join their mermaid clique, which wasn’t surprising. 

“Thank you!” Shireen bounced alongside her as they joined the crowd. 

Arya, Gendry, and Orys were dressed as pirates, of course, any excuse for her sister to carry a sword and Barra was dressed as an octopus that was currently being held by Catelyn who had gone all-out in her mermaid regalia. It appeared that Bran and Rickon had also gone the pirate route but her father had joined Davos and Stannis in the fishermen category, complete with a craggy sweater, knit cap, and rubber boots, looking only a little ridiculous. 

“Happy Halloween” Sansa said as hugs and hellos were exchanged. 

“What do you think?” Arya nodded to the photographers that seemed to be following at a respectable distance. “Front page news?” 

“As long as Davos doesn’t punch one again, we should be relegated to the society pages only, thankfully” Sansa smirked, remembering the time that the photographers had gotten much to close when Matthos was a newborn, creating quite a stir. What could she say, her husband was a protective man and new father, and the media wasn’t respecting their privacy. As usual. 

“I would like to see him punch one again” Gendry mused, adjusting his eye-patch. 

“I am getting a bit old for that, I think” Davos laughed as Matthos raised his arms in the air and squealed in happiness. “See, Mat agrees.” 

“You’re not old” Sansa playfully smacked his arm. “Just a bit...ornery.” 

“Oh, well thank you” Davos scoffed. “I love you too.” Sansa only responded by sticking her tongue out at her husband, their conversation cut off as the announcements were made to begin the boardwalk trick-or-treat. 

“Can I be in charge of Matthos’ candy bag?” Shireen asked, sticking close to Sansa’s side as she usually did during gatherings. As she grew into a young lady, Shireen had grown even closer to her, leaning on her for support with women’s troubles and boy troubles alike, a fact that Stannis was eternally grateful for since he had no idea how to handle either. Sansa would merely pat his hand and promise that she would handle it, and he would heave a sigh of relief. 

“Absolutely” Sansa handed Shireen the orange and black handled back, a Jack-o-Lantern smiling on each side. Matthos was too young to eat the candy, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t fill the bag and dole it out amongst the families.

They moved as a group among the gathered crowds, most people recognizing them from around town and the pier, moreso Davos than Sansa these days, as he had become the top name in wooden boat restoration in the last few years. Sansa would always smile and watch the men and couples shake Davos’ hand, greeting him and then Matthos who had become quite popular himself. 

Sansa would occasionally pause to take a photograph, since she always had a camera on-hand now at family events, smiling at each one. Their family, raucous and quirky as they were, was amazing. 

A few years ago, she would have watched this event from the balcony of her penthouse apartment, alone and wondering if she would ever be able to participate in such an event. She would have pushed away the sadness and snuggled close to Lemon as she watched far too much true crime television than was healthy. 

But now, she paused, looking back to the building where she once lived, but still owned, and found her old balcony. She smiled at the twinkle lights that glowed, illuminating the balcony where two figures stood. That had been her once, but now she was here, she turned back to her husband who was watching her with that knowing expression of his. 

“Just looking at the old balcony” she explained quietly. 

“I remember it well” he smiled as she stepped closer, kissing him softly. 

“It seems so long ago” she admitted. “I used to watch the events and wonder what it would be like to be down here with a family.” 

“And? Now that you’re here?” 

She paused, looking around them to where Shireen was dancing and Bran, Rickon and Orys were mock-fighting around her with foam swords, and finally to where the adults were watching them indulgently. That was their family, most of it anyway. Robb, Jeyne and their children were with Jeyne’s family tonight, but promised to join them for Thanksgiving. 

“Here is perfect” Sansa assured Davos, and he smiled as he kissed her forehead. 

“I couldn’t agree more.” 

“Come on you two!” Gendry called out as they began their trick-or-treating, visiting each business and booth along the pier and boardwalk to gather candy. Sansa stuck to Davos’ side, her hand looped through his arm as he carried Matthos, who already seemed to be dozing off on his father’s shoulder. 

“Alright wife” Davos adjusted Matthos, holding him with one arm while he wrapped the other around Sansa’s shoulders. “Let’s catch up before Stannis steals all the peanut butter cups” he laughed and Stannis scoffed a protest. A very weak protest. Sansa giggled, wrapping her arm around her husband’s waist, falling into step beside him. 

She was right, this right here...was perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Follow me on tumblr for pic sets and more shenanigans!  
> @the-red-wulf or https://the-red-wulf.tumblr.com/


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